THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THE APPENDICES) AND THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR
PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS
TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES"),
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH
PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IS OR WOULD BE
PROHIBITED.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES
NOT CONSTITUTE OR CONTAIN ANY INVITATION, SOLICITATION,
RECOMMENDATION, ADVERTISING, OFFER OR ADVICE TO ANY PERSON TO
SUBSCRIBE FOR, OTHERWISE ACQUIRE OR DISPOSE OF ANY SECURITIES IN
ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC OR ANY OTHER ENTITY IN ANY JURISDICTION.
NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR THE FACT OF ITS DISTRIBUTION SHALL
FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED ON IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY
INVESTMENT DECISION IN RESPECT OF ONDINE BIOMEDICAL
INC.
NO
ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN OR WILL BE TAKEN BY ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC.
WHICH WOULD PERMIT A PUBLIC OFFERING OF SHARES IN ONDINE BIOMEDICAL
INC. OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT
PURPOSE IS REQUIRED.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY. IN
PARTICULAR, IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PLACING YOU SHOULD
READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE APPENDICES.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE
PLACING.
This Announcement contains inside
information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse
Regulation No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended. Upon the
publication of this Announcement, this inside information is now
considered to be in the public domain.
This Announcement uses a
£:C$ exchange rate of 1: 1.80276
and a £:US$ exchange rate of
1: 1.29658 as at 16:30 (GMT) on 30 October 2024
1 November
2024
Ondine Biomedical Inc. ("Ondine" or
the "Company")
Proposed Minimum £8.5 million
(C$15.3m) Fundraise
Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI), a
Canadian life sciences company, announces a proposed fundraising to
raise not less than c.£8.5 million
(C$15.3 million) from new
and existing shareholders. The fundraising is being
implemented by way of a proposed placing (the "Placing") and subscription (the
"Subscription") (together,
the "Fundraising"). The
Fundraising involves the issuance of common shares without par
value in the capital of the Company ("New Common Shares") at the price of
8.5 pence per New Common Share (the
"Issue Price").
The majority of the Company's
Directors (together the "Participating Directors") intend to
participate in the Subscription for a total of c.£0.21 million (C$0.38 million)
in gross proceeds forming part of the Fundraising, with such
Subscription being conducted in accordance with applicable Canadian
prospectus exemptions.
The primary objective of the
Fundraising is to provide the Company with sufficient capital to
conduct the U.S. Phase 3 clinical study for its nasal
photodisinfection system (branded as Steriwave® outside
the U.S.). Finalized with regulatory input and in close
collaboration with HCA Healthcare, Ondine's U.S. clinical trial
partner, the circa 5,000-patient group-randomized crossover study
is to be carried out at 14 HCA hospital sites and will compare
standard-of-care infection prevention practices with and without
nasal photodisinfection. The Company plans to recruit the first
patient by the end of 2024, with the final patient expected
mid-2025, and an early data readout anticipated in Autumn
2025.
To support these goals, the Company
seeks to raise a minimum of £8.5 million (C$15.3 million) from
investors through the Fundraising. An additional C$5 million
(c.£2.8 million) is anticipated from the equity raise via private
placement which was announced to the market on 24 September 2024
and is due to settle by 8 November 2024 (the "Private Placement"). Combined, the
Fundraising and Private Placement are projected to raise at least
£11.3 million (C$20.4 million), providing sufficient funds to
complete the Phase 3 trial through the final patient recruitment,
drive commercialization in approved markets, and support the
Company's working capital needs, securing a cash runway into early
H2 2025.
Additionally, the Company is engaged
in discussions with a major U.S. healthcare group regarding a
potential investment of up to US$4 million (£3.1 million). While
the terms and structure of this investment are still under
negotiation, the Company aims to finalize the arrangement by the
end of 2024. If secured, this additional US$4 million investment
would extend the cash runway to early Q2 2026, including
anticipated Phase 3 topline results and NDA submission. If these
negotiations do not yield an agreement, the Board will explore
alternative funding options to extend the cash runway beyond early
H2 2025.
· The
firm indications received in respect of Fundraising participations,
as at the time of this announcement, are expected to result in a
total new issuance of not less than 100,000,000 New Common Shares, representing
approximately 36 per cent of the existing
issued share capital of the Company.
· The
Issue Price represents a premium of approximately 1.5 per cent to the closing price on 31 October 2024 of 8.375 pence.
· The
final number and allocation of the Placing Shares will be
determined by RBC Capital Markets, Orana Corporate LLP and Oberon
Capital, a trading name of Oberon
Investments Limited, in agreement with the
Company and the result of the Placing will be announced as soon as
practicable after the release of this announcement.
· The
planned issue of the New Common Shares pursuant to the Fundraising
will take place on a non-pre-emptive basis. The Fundraising is not
being underwritten.
Intended Participation by
Participating Directors in the Subscription
Certain Directors of the Company
have indicated their intention to subscribe for, in aggregate,
2,479,035 Subscription Shares at the Issue
Price, raising gross proceeds of c.£0.21
million (C$0.38 million) for the Company.
The participation in the Fundraising by the Participating Directors
will be effected by entry into Subscription Agreements between the
relevant Director and the Company. The participations in the
Fundraising would, in aggregate, constitute a related party
transaction under Rule 13 of the AIM Rules. Further disclosures
will be made in a subsequent announcement in relation to these
dealings.
About the Placing and Subscription
Pursuant to the Subscription, the
Company will privately offer New Common Shares at the Issue Price
("Subscription Shares") to
a limited number of entities and individuals both within and
outside of the United Kingdom, under applicable regulatory
exemptions as appropriate.
The Placing, offering New Common
Shares at the same Issue Price as the Subscription, is being
undertaken by RBC Europe Limited ("RBC"), Orana Corporate LLP
("Orana") and Oberon
Capital, a trading name of Oberon Investments Limited,
("Oberon") as Joint Brokers
to the Placing, and RBC and Oberon as Joint Bookrunners, via an
accelerated bookbuild process (the "Bookbuild"). The Bookbuild will be
launched immediately following the release of this Announcement and
is expected to close on 1 November 2024 (or
such later time as may be agreed between the Joint Brokers, the
Joint Bookrunners and the Company). The Placing is subject to the
terms and conditions set out in Appendix I below.
The Placing, which is conditional
upon, inter alia, Admission becoming effective and the Placing
Agreement (as defined below) becoming unconditional and not being
terminated, and the Subscription are being carried out within
the Company's existing
statutory authority to issue shares on a non pre-emptive basis. The
number of Placing Shares will be agreed by the Company in
conjunction with the Joint Brokers and the Joint Bookrunners, and
the result of the Placing will be confirmed by a further
announcement released as soon as practicable thereafter. The timing
of the closing of the Placing and the Result of Placing Announcement, final
allocations and the total size of the Placing shall be determined
at the absolute discretion of the Company, the Joint Brokers and
the Joint Bookrunners. No aspect of the Fundraising is being
underwritten.
Expected Timetable of Principal Events
|
2024
|
Announcement of the Fundraising
|
1
November
|
Announcement of result of the
Fundraising
|
1
November
|
Admission and commencement of
dealings in the Placing Shares and Subscription Shares (save for
any additional Subscription Shares which may be admitted at a
later date)
|
11
November
|
The
Appendices set out further important information relating to the
Bookbuild and the terms and conditions of the
Placing. This Announcement should be
read in its entirety. In particular, you should read and understand
the information provided in the "Important Notices" section of this
Announcement.
This Announcement is made in accordance with the Company's
obligations under Article 17 of MAR and the persons responsible for
arranging for the release of this Announcement on behalf of Ondine
are Carolyn Cross, Chief Executive Officer and Nicolas Loebel,
President and Chief Technical Officer of Ondine.
Enquiries:
Ondine Biomedical Inc.
|
|
Angelika Vance, Corporate
Communications
|
+001 604
838 2702
|
Singer Capital Markets (Nominated Adviser)
|
Phil Davies, Sam Butcher
|
+44 (0)20
7496 3000
|
RBC
Capital Markets (Joint Broker and Joint
Bookrunner)
|
|
Rupert Walford, Kathryn
Deegan
|
+44 (0)20
7653 4000
|
Oberon Capital (Joint Broker to the Placing and Joint
Bookrunner)
|
|
Mike Seabrook, Jessica
Cave
|
+44 (0) 20
3179 5300
|
Orana Corporate LLP (Joint Broker to the
Placing)
|
|
Sebastian Wykeham
|
+33 6 7120
1513
|
Vane Percy & Roberts (Media Contact)
|
|
Simon Vane Percy, Amanda
Bernard
|
+44 (0)77
1000 5910
|
About Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian
life sciences company and leader innovating light-activated
antimicrobial therapies (also known as 'photodisinfection'). Ondine
has a pipeline of investigational products, based on its
proprietary photodisinfection technology, in various stages of
development.
Ondine's nasal photodisinfection
system has a CE mark in Europe and the UK and is approved in Canada
and several other countries under the name Steriwave®. In the US,
it has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product
designation and Fast Track status by the FDA and is currently
undergoing clinical trials for regulatory approval. Products beyond
nasal photodisinfection include therapies for a variety of medical
indications such as chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated
pneumonia, burns, and many other indications.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
The information contained in this
Announcement is given at the date of its publication (unless
otherwise marked) and is subject to updating, revision and
amendment from time to time. No reliance may be placed for any
purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its
accuracy, fairness or completeness.
No undertaking, representation,
warranty or other assurance, express or implied, is made or given
by or on behalf of the Company or the Joint Bookrunners or any of
their respective directors, officers, partners, employees, agents
or advisers or any other person as to the accuracy or completeness
of the information or opinions contained in this announcement and
no responsibility or liability is accepted by any of them for any
such information or opinions or for any errors, omissions or
misstatements, negligence or otherwise in this
Announcement.
The information in this Announcement
may not be forwarded or distributed to any other person and may not
be reproduced in any manner whatsoever. Any forwarding,
distribution, reproduction, or disclosure of this information in
whole or in part is unauthorized. Failure to comply with this
directive may result in a violation of applicable securities laws
and regulations of other jurisdictions.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, ANY COPY OF IT,
AND THE INFORMATION (INCLUDING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS) CONTAINED
HEREIN, IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR TRANSMISSION, PUBLICATION,
RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN
PART, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A
VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT SECURITIES LAW OF SUCH JURISDICTION,
INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND
POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES"), AUSTRALIA, NEW
ZEALAND, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, OR ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IS
OR WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY, DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE FULL OR COMPLETE AND IS NOT
AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS
NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, NOR IS IT INTENDED
THAT IT WILL BE SO APPROVED.
This Announcement or any part of it
does not constitute or form part of any offer to issue or sell, or
the solicitation of an offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for,
any securities in the United States. The Placing Shares have not
been and will not be registered under the United States Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "US
Securities Act") or with any securities regulatory authority
of any state or jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be
offered, sold or transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into
the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a
transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the US
Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities
laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. There
will be no public offering of securities in the United
States.
This Announcement may contain and
the Company may make verbal statements containing "forward-looking
statements" with respect to certain of the Company's plans and its
current goals and expectations relating to its future financial
condition, performance, strategic initiatives, objectives and
results. By their nature, all forward-looking statements involve
risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and
circumstances which are beyond the control of the Company,
including amongst other things, United Kingdom domestic and global
economic business conditions, market-related risks such as
fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates, the policies and
actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, the effect of
competition, inflation, deflation, the timing effect and other
uncertainties of future acquisitions or combinations within
relevant industries, the effect of tax and other legislation and
other regulations in the jurisdictions in which the Company and its
respective affiliates operate, the effect of volatility in the
equity, capital and credit markets on the Company's profitability
and ability to access capital and credit, a decline in the
Company's credit ratings, the effect of operational risks, and the
loss of key personnel. As a result, the actual future financial
condition, performance and results of the Company may differ
materially from the plans, goals and expectations set forth in any
forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in
this Announcement by or on behalf of the Company speak only as of
the date they are made. Except as required by applicable law or
regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or
undertaking to publish any updates or revisions to any
forward-looking statements contained in this Announcement to
reflect any changes in the Company's expectations with regard
thereto or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on
which any such statement is based.
Neither the content of the Company's
website (or any other website) nor the content of any website
accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other
website) is incorporated into or forms part of this
announcement.
UK
Product Governance Requirements
Solely for the purposes of the
product governance requirements contained within chapter 3 of the
FCA Handbook Product Intervention and Product Governance Sourcebook
(the "UK Product Governance
Requirements") and disclaiming all and any liability,
whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any
"manufacturer" (for the purposes of the UK Product Governance
Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing
Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that the Placing Shares are: (i) compatible with an end
target market of retail investors and investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each
as defined in chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business
Sourcebook ("COBS"); and
(ii) eligible for distribution through all permitted distribution
channels (the "UK Target Market
Assessment"). Notwithstanding the UK Target Market
Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the Placing
Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their
investment; the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no
capital protection; and an investment in Placing Shares is
compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income
or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an
appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating
the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient
resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom.
The UK Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the
requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling
restrictions in relation to the Placing. Furthermore, it is noted
that, notwithstanding the UK Target Market Assessment, the Joint
Bookrunners will only procure investors who meet the criteria of
professional clients and eligible counterparties.
For the avoidance of doubt, the UK
Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of
suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of chapters 9A or
10A respectively of the COBS; or (b) a recommendation to any
investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take
any other action whatsoever with respect to Placing Shares. Each
distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market
assessment in respect of the shares and determining appropriate
distribution channels.
EU
Product Governance Requirements
Solely for the purposes of Article
9(8) of Commission Delegated Directive 2017/593 (the "Delegated Directive") regarding the
responsibilities of Manufacturers under the Product Governance
requirements contained within: (a) Directive 2014/65/EU on markets
in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of
the Delegated Directive; and (c) local implementing measures (the
"MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability,
whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which any
"manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Placing
Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has
determined that the Placing Shares are (i) compatible with an end
target market of retail investors and investors who meet the
criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each
as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through
all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the
"Target Market
Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment,
Distributors (as defined within the MiFID II Product Governance
Requirements) should note that: the price of the Placing Shares may
decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment;
the Placing Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital
protection; and an investment in Placing Shares is compatible only
with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital
protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate
financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits
and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources
to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target
Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any
contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation
to the proposed Placing. Furthermore, it is noted that,
notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, the Joint Bookrunners
will only procure investors who meet the criteria of professional
clients and eligible counterparties. For the avoidance of doubt,
the Target Market Assessment does not constitute:
(a) an assessment of suitability of
appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a
recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in,
or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to
the Placing Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking
its own target market assessment in respect of the Placing Shares
and determining appropriate distribution channels.
RBC is authorized and regulated by
the FCA in the United Kingdom and is acting exclusively for the
Company and no one else in connection with the Placing, and RBC
will not be responsible to anyone (including any purchasers of the
Placing Shares) other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to in this
Announcement.
Oberon Capital, a trading name of
Oberon Investments Limited, incorporated and registered in England
and Wales with registration number 02198303 whose registered office
is at 1st Floor 12 Hornsby Square, Southfields Business Park,
Basildon, Essex, SS15 6SD, United Kingdom is authorized and
regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom and is acting
exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the
Placing, and Oberon will not be responsible to anyone (including
any purchasers of the Placing Shares) other than the Company for
providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing
advice in relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to
in this Announcement.
Orana Corporate LLP (FRN 835691) is
an appointed representative of Ragnar Capital Partners LLP (FRN
593052) who are authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct
Authority in the United Kingdom and is acting exclusively for the
Company and no one else in connection with the Placing, and Orana
will not be responsible to anyone (including any purchasers of the
Placing Shares) other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to in this
Announcement.
No representation or warranty,
express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to,
and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by the
Joint Bookrunners or by any of their respective affiliates or
agents as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of
this Announcement or any other written or oral information made
available to or publicly available to any interested party or their
respective advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly
disclaimed.
APPENDIX I
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
PLACING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE
PLACING FOR INVITED PLACEES ONLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PLACING.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (INCLUDING THIS
APPENDIX) AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
(TOGETHER, THIS "ANNOUNCEMENT") ARE DIRECTED ONLY AT
PERSONS WHOSE ORDINARY ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THEM IN ACQUIRING,
HOLDING, MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF INVESTMENTS (AS PRINCIPAL OR
AGENT) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THEIR BUSINESS AND WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS AND ARE: (1) IF IN A
MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA QUALIFIED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE
2(E) OF THE EU PROSPECTUS REGULATION; (2) IF IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
QUALIFIED INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE UK PROSPECTUS
REGULATION, AND WHO: (A) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL
SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS
AMENDED (THE "ORDER")
(INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS) OR (B) FALL WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(a) TO
(d) (HIGH NET WORTH COMPANIES, UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS, ETC.)
OF THE ORDER; (3) IF IN SWITZERLAND, PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS AS
DEFINED IN ARTICLE 4(3) OF THE SWISS FINANCIAL SERVICES ACT OF 15
JUNE 2018, AS AMENDED; OR (4) PERSONS TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE BE
LAWFULLY COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO
AS "RELEVANT
PERSONS").
NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR THE
INFORMATION IN IT SHOULD BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON BY PERSONS WHO
ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS. PERSONS DISTRIBUTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT IT IS LAWFUL TO DO SO. ANY INVESTMENT
OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES IS
AVAILABLE ONLY TO RELEVANT PERSONS AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH
RELEVANT PERSONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT ITSELF CONSTITUTE AN
OFFER FOR THE SALE OR SUBSCRIPTION OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO
BUY OR ACQUIRE ANY SECURITIES IN THE COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES,
CANADA OR ELSEWHERE.
THIS APPENDIX, AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT
OF WHICH IT FORMS PART, HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR A PRIVATE PLACEMENT
OF SHARES IN THE COMPANY BY INVITED PLACEES ONLY. NO ACTION HAS
BEEN OR WILL BE TAKEN BY THE COMPANY WHICH WOULD PERMIT A PUBLIC
OFFERING OF ANY OF THE SHARES IN THE COMPANY OR DISTRIBUTION OF
THIS APPENDIX, AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHICH IT FORMS PART, OR ANY
OTHER MATERIAL IN CONNECTION THEREWITH IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE
ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED.
THIS APPENDIX, AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT
OF WHICH IT FORMS PART, IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY IS NOT
INTENDED TO FORM THE BASIS OF ANY INVESTMENT ACTIVITY OR DECISION,
AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS A RECOMMENDATION BY THE COMPANY
THAT ANY RECIPIENT SHOULD ACQUIRE ANY INTEREST IN THE SHARE CAPITAL
OR ANY OTHER INTEREST IN THE COMPANY.
THE PLACING SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND
WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT OR WITH ANY
SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION
OF THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, RESOLD, PLEDGED,
TRANSFERRED OR DELIVERED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE
UNITED STATES EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR
IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
THE US SECURITIES ACT, IN EACH CASE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED
STATES. THE PLACING SHARES ARE BEING OFFERED AND SOLD ONLY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE US SECURITIES ACT. THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS
RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM THE
UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, JAPAN, THE REPUBLIC
OF IRELAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION
(OR TO ANY PERSONS IN ANY OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS) IN WHICH SUCH
RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL (THE
"RESTRICTED JURISDICTIONS"). NO PUBLIC
OFFERING OF
THE PLACING SHARES IS
BEING MADE IN THE
UNITED STATES, CANADA, THE UNITED KINGDOM, SWITZERLAND OR ELSEWHERE WHERE SUCH OFFERING
WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS
OWN ADVISORS AS TO ANY LEGAL, TAX, FINANCIAL, BUSINESS AND RELATED
ASPECTS OF A PURCHASE OF PLACING SHARES.
All offers of the Placing Shares in
the United Kingdom or Switzerland will be made pursuant to an
exemption from the requirement to produce a prospectus (to the
extent reliance on such exemption is legally required) under the UK
Prospectus Regulation or the EU Prospectus Regulation or the Swiss
Financial Services Act and the Swiss Financial Services Ordinance,
as appropriate. In the United Kingdom, this Announcement is being
directed solely at persons in circumstances in which section 21(1)
of FSMA does not require the approval of the relevant communication
by an authorized person. In Switzerland, the Placing Shares will
not be publicly offered (as such term is defined in Article 3(h) of
the Swiss Financial Services Act).
The Placing Shares have not been
approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange
Commission, any state securities commission or other regulatory
authority in the United States nor have any of the foregoing
authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the Placing or
the accuracy or adequacy of this Announcement. Any representation
to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States. The
relevant clearances have not been, nor will they be, obtained from
the securities commission of any province or territory of Canada,
no prospectus has been lodged with, or registered by, the
Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese
Ministry of Finance; the relevant clearances have not been, and
will not be, obtained for the South Africa Reserve Bank or any
other applicable body in the Republic of South Africa in relation
to the Placing Shares and the Placing Shares have not been, nor
will they be registered under or offered in compliance with the
securities laws of any state, province or territory of the United
States, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Canada,
Japan or the Republic of South Africa. Accordingly, the Placing
Shares may not (unless an exemption under the relevant securities
laws is applicable) be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly
or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, New
Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Canada, Japan or the Republic of
South Africa or any other jurisdiction outside the EEA, the United
Kingdom and Switzerland, except in accordance with applicable
securities law.
Persons (including without
limitation, nominees and trustees) who have a contractual right or
other legal obligations to forward a copy of this Announcement (or
any part of it) should seek appropriate advice before taking any
action.
This Announcement should be read in
its entirety. In particular, any prospective Placee should read and
understand the information provided in the "Important Notices"
section of this Announcement.
The Company proposes to raise
capital by way of the Placing and the
Subscription.
By participating in the Bookbuild
and the Placing, each Placee will be deemed to have read and
understood this Announcement in its entirety, to be participating,
making an offer and acquiring New Common Shares on the terms and
conditions contained in this Announcement (including this Appendix)
and to be providing the representations, warranties, undertakings,
agreements, acknowledgements and indemnities contained in this
Announcement.
EACH PLACEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH ITS
OWN ADVISERS AS TO ANY LEGAL, REGULATORY, TAX, BUSINESS AND RELATED
ASPECTS OF A SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE PLACING SHARES (AS
APPLICABLE).
In particular, each such Placee
represents, warrants, undertakes, agrees and acknowledges to the
Company and the Joint Bookrunners (amongst other things)
that:
1. it
is a Relevant Person and undertakes that it will acquire, hold,
manage or dispose of any New Common Shares that are allocated to it
for the purposes of its business;
2. in
the case of a Relevant Person in the United Kingdom who acquires
any New Common Shares pursuant to the Placing:
(a)
it is a Qualified Investor within the meaning of
Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation; and
(b)
in the case of any New
Common Shares acquired by it as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK
Prospectus Regulation:
(i) the New Common Shares acquired by it in the Placing have not been acquired on
behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer
or resale to, persons in the United Kingdom other than Qualified
Investors or in circumstances in which the prior consent of
the Joint Bookrunners has
been given to the offer or resale; or
(ii) where New Common Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in the
United Kingdom other than Qualified Investors, the offer of those
New Common Shares to it is not treated under the UK Prospectus
Regulation as having been made to such persons;
3. in the case of a Relevant Person in Switzerland who acquires
any New Common Shares pursuant to the Placing:
(a)
it is a Professional Client within the meaning of
Article 4(3) of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("Professional Client") or, if it is not
a Professional Client, it has been explicitly and directly invited
by the Company or the Joint Bookrunners and not through a public
offer, as such term is defined in Article 3(h) of the Swiss
Financial Services Act; and
(b)
in the case of any New
Common Shares acquired by it as a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 4(3)(a) of the Swiss
Financial Services Act:
(i)
the New Common
Shares acquired by it in the Placing have not been
acquired on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to
their offer or resale to, persons in Switzerland other than
Professional Clients or in circumstances in which the prior consent
of the Joint Bookrunners
has been given to the offer or resale;
or
(ii) where New Common Shares have been acquired by it on behalf of persons in
Switzerland other than Professional Clients, the offer of those New
Common Shares to it is not treated under the Swiss Financial
Services Act as having been made to such persons;
4. it is acquiring the New Common Shares for its own account or
is acquiring the New Common Shares for an account with respect to
which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the authority
to make and does make the representations, warranties,
undertakings, agreements, acknowledgements and indemnities
contained in this Announcement;
5. it understands (or if acting for the account of another
person, such person has confirmed that such person understands) the
resale and transfer restrictions set out in this
Announcement;
6.
it (and any other person on whose account it is
acting) is outside the United States and is acquiring the New
Common Shares in offshore transactions as defined in and in
accordance with Regulation S under the US Securities Act;
and
7.
except as otherwise permitted by the Company and
subject to any available exemptions from applicable securities
laws, it (and any other person on whose account it is acting) is
outside of, and does not have an address in, British Columbia,
Canada acquiring the New Common Shares and acquiring the New Common
Shares as principal, and it is outside of and is not a person
resident in Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Japan
or South Africa or with an address in Japan, Australia, New
Zealand, the Republic of Ireland or South Africa or any overseas
person who would not under the provisions of any relevant
securities legislation be entitled to receive this document and
subscribe for or purchase the New Common Shares.
The Company and the Joint Bookrunners will rely upon the truth and accuracy
of the foregoing representations, warranties, undertakings,
agreements and acknowledgements. Each Placee hereby agrees with the
Joint Bookrunners and the Company to be bound by these terms and
conditions as being the terms and conditions upon which New Common
Shares will be allotted and issued.
A Placee shall, without limitation,
become so bound if the Joint Bookrunners confirms (orally or in
writing) to such Placee its allocation of Placing Shares. Neither
of the Joint Bookrunners makes any representation to any Placee
regarding an investment in the Placing Shares referred to in this
Announcement (including this Appendix).
Upon being notified of its
allocation of Placing Shares, a Placee shall be contractually
committed to subscribe for the number of Placing Shares allocated
to it at the Issue Price and, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, will be deemed to have agreed not to exercise any rights to
rescind or terminate or otherwise withdraw from such
commitment.
No prospectus
The New Common Shares are being
offered to a limited number of specifically invited persons only
and will not be offered in such a way as to require any prospectus
or other offering document to be published. No prospectus or other
offering document has been or will be submitted to be approved by
the FCA or any other respective authority in any other jurisdiction
in relation to the Placing or the New Common Shares and Placees'
commitments will be made solely on the basis of their own
assessment of the Company, the New Common Shares and the Placing
based on the information contained in this Announcement and the
announcement of the result of the Placing (the "Result of Placing Announcement")
(together, the "Placing
Documents") and any information publicly announced through a
regulatory information service by or on behalf of the Company on or
prior to the date of this Announcement (the "Publicly Available Information") and
subject to any further terms set forth in the trade confirmation
sent to Placees.
Each Placee, by participating in the
Placing, agrees that the content of the Placing Documents is
exclusively the responsibility of the Company and confirms that it
has neither received nor relied on any information (other than the
Publicly Available Information), representation, warranty or
statement made by or on behalf of the Joint Bookrunners or the
Company or any other person and none of the Joint Bookrunners, the
Company nor any other person acting on such person's behalf nor any
of their respective affiliates has or shall have any responsibility
or liability for any Placee's decision to participate in the
Placing based on any other information, representation, warranty or
statement (regardless of whether or not such information,
representation, warranty or statement was given or made by or on
behalf of any such persons). Each Placee acknowledges and agrees
that it has relied on its own investigation of the business,
financial or other position of the Company in accepting a
participation in the Placing.
No Placee should consider any
information in this Announcement to be legal, financial, tax or
business advice. Each Placee should consult its own legal advisor,
tax advisor, financial advisor and business advisor for legal, tax,
financial and business advice regarding an investment in the
Placing Shares. Nothing in this paragraph shall exclude the
liability of any person for fraudulent
misrepresentation.
Details of the Placing Agreement
and the Placing Shares
The Joint Bookrunners are acting as
joint brokers and bookrunners in connection
with the Placing and has entered into the Placing Agreement with
the Company under which, on the terms and subject to the conditions
set out in the Placing Agreement, the Joint Bookrunners, as agent
for and on behalf of the Company, has agreed to use its reasonable
endeavours to procure Placees for the Placing Shares. The Placing
is not being underwritten by the Joint Bookrunners or any other
person.
The price per Common Share at which
the Placing Shares are to be placed is 8.5 pence (the "Issue Price"). The timing of the
closing of the book and allocations are at the discretion of the
Company and the Joint Bookrunners.
The Placing Shares will be made up
of a number of New Common Shares issued and allotted by the
Company. Accordingly, by participating in the Placing, Placees
agree to subscribe for Placing Shares.
The Placing Shares have been or will
be duly authorized and will, when issued, be credited as fully paid
up and will be issued subject to the Articles of the Company and
rank pari passuin all
respects with the existing Common Shares, including the right to
receive all dividends and other distributions declared, made or
paid on or in respect of the Common Shares after the date of issue
of the Placing Shares, and will on issue be free of all pre-emption
rights, claims, liens, charges, encumbrances and
equities.
Application for admission to
trading on AIM
Application will be made to the
London Stock Exchange for Admission of the Placing Shares to
trading on AIM.
It is expected that Admission of the
Placing Shares will occur at 8.00 a.m. on 11 November 2024 (or such later time or date as the Joint
Bookrunners may agree with the Company, being no later than 8.30
a.m. on 18 November 2024) and that dealings in the Placing Shares
on AIM will commence at that time.
Bookbuild
The Joint Bookrunners and Joint
Brokers will today commence the accelerated bookbuilding process to
determine demand for participation in the Placing by Placees (the
"Bookbuild"). This Appendix
gives details of the terms and conditions of, and the mechanics of
participation in, the Placing. No commissions will be paid to
Placees or by Placees in respect of any Placing Shares.
The Joint Bookrunners and the
Company shall be entitled to effect the Placing by such alternative
method to the Bookbuild as they may, in their sole discretion,
determine.
Participation in, and principal
terms of, the Placing
1.
The Joint Bookrunners are acting as joint brokers
and bookrunners to the Placing, as agent for and on behalf of the
Company, on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Placing
Agreement. SCM Advisory is acting as nominated adviser to the
Company in connection with the Placing and Admission. Each of the
Joint Bookrunners and SCM Advisory are authorized and regulated
entities in the United Kingdom by the FCA and are acting
exclusively for the Company and no one else in connection with the
matters referred to in this Announcement and will not be
responsible to anyone other than the Company in relation to the
matters described in this Announcement.
2. Participation in the Placing will only be available to persons
who may lawfully be, and are, invited to participate by the
Joint Bookrunners. The Joint Bookrunners
may both agree to be a Placee in respect of
all or some of the Placing Shares or may nominate any member of
their relevant group that is eligible to participate in the Placing
to do so.
3. Following a successful completion of the Bookbuild, the
Company will confirm the closing of the Placing via the Result of
Placing Announcement.
4. To bid in the Bookbuild, prospective Placees should
communicate their bid orally by telephone or in writing to their
usual sales contact at the Joint Bookrunners. Each bid should state
the number of Placing Shares which the prospective Placee wishes to
subscribe for at the Issue Price. Bids may be scaled down by the
Joint Bookrunners on the basis referred to in paragraph 6 below.
The Joint Bookrunners reserve the right not to accept bids or to
accept bids in part rather than in whole. The acceptance of the
bids shall be at the Joint Bookrunners' absolute discretion,
subject to agreement with the Company.
5. The Bookbuild is expected to close on 1 November 2024 but may
be closed later at the discretion of the Joint Bookrunners. The
Joint Bookrunners may, in agreement with the Company, accept bids
that are received after the Bookbuild has closed. The Company
reserves the right (upon the prior agreement of the Joint
Bookrunners) to vary the number of shares to be issued pursuant to
the Placing, in its absolute discretion.
6. Allocations of the Placing Shares will be determined by the
Joint Bookrunners after consultation with the Company (and in
accordance with the Joint Bookrunners' allocation policy as has
been supplied by the Joint Bookrunners to the Company in advance of
such consultation). Allocations will be confirmed orally by the
Joint Bookrunners and a trade confirmation will be despatched as
soon as possible thereafter. The Joint Bookrunners' oral
confirmation to such Placee constitutes an irrevocable legally
binding commitment upon such person (who will at that point become
a Placee), in favour of the Joint Bookrunners and the Company, to
subscribe for the number of Placing Shares allocated to it and to
pay the Issue Price in respect of each such share on the terms and
conditions set out in this Appendix and in accordance with the
Articles of the Company. A bid in the Bookbuild will be made on the
terms and subject to the conditions in this Appendix and will be
legally binding on the Placee on behalf of which it is made and
except with the Joint Bookrunners' consent, such commitment will
not be capable of variation or revocation after the time at which
it is submitted.
7. Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a
trade confirmation issued to such Placee. The terms of this
Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that trade
confirmation.
8. Each Placee's allocation and commitment will be evidenced by a
trade confirmation issued to such Placee. The terms of this
Appendix will be deemed incorporated in that trade
confirmation.
9. Irrespective of the time at which a Placee's allocation
pursuant to the Placing is confirmed, settlement for all Placing
Shares to be subscribed for/purchased pursuant to the Placing will
be required to be made at the same time, on the basis explained
below under "Registration and
Settlement".
10. All
obligations under the Bookbuild and the Placing will be subject to
fulfilment or (where applicable) waiver of the conditions referred
to below under "Conditions of the
Placing" and to the Placing not being terminated on the
basis referred to below under "Right to terminate under the Placing
Agreement".
11. By
participating in the Placing, each Placee agrees that its rights
and obligations in respect of the Placing will terminate only in
the circumstances described below and will not be capable of
rescission or termination by the Placee.
12. To
the fullest extent permissible by law, none of the Joint
Bookrunners, the Company nor any of their respective affiliates,
agents, directors, officers, employees or advisers shall have any
responsibility or liability to Placees (or to any other person
whether acting on behalf of a Placee or otherwise). In particular,
none of the Joint Bookrunners, the Company, nor any of their
respective affiliates, agents, directors, officers, employees or
advisers shall have any responsibility or liability (including to
the extent permissible by law, any fiduciary duties) in respect of
the Joint Bookrunners' conduct of the Placing or of such
alternative method of effecting the Placing as the Joint
Bookrunners and the Company may agree.
13. The Placing Shares will be issued subject to the terms and
conditions of this Appendix and each Placee's commitment to
subscribe for Placing Shares on the terms set out in this Appendix
will continue notwithstanding any amendment that may in future be
made to the terms and conditions of the Placing and Placees will
have no right to be consulted or require that their consent be
obtained with respect to the Company's or the Joint Bookrunners'
conduct of the Placing.
Conditions of the Placing
The Placing is conditional, amongst
others, upon the Placing Agreement becoming unconditional and not
having been terminated in accordance with its terms. The Joint
Bookrunner's obligations under the Placing Agreement are
conditional on customary conditions, including (amongst others)
(the "Conditions"):
1. Admission occurring no later than 8.00 a.m. on
11 November 2024 (or such
later time or date as the Joint Bookrunners
may otherwise agree with the Company, being no later than 8.30 a.m.
on 18 November 2024);
2.
the Company allotting, subject only to Admission,
the Placing Shares and the Subscription Shares in accordance with
the Placing Agreement;
3. none of the warranties given by the Company in the Placing
Agreement being untrue, inaccurate or misleading as at the date of the Placing Agreement or at any time between
the date of the Placing Agreement and Admission;
and
4. in the opinion of the Joint Bookrunners (acting in good faith)
there having been no Material Adverse Change prior to Admission
(whether or not foreseeable at the date of this
Agreement);
The Joint Bookrunners may, at their
discretion and upon such terms as it thinks fit, waive compliance
by the Company with the whole or any part of any of its obligations
in relation to the Conditions or extend the time or date provided
for fulfilment of any such Conditions in respect of all or any part
of the performance thereof, save in respect of condition 1 above
relating to Admission taking place. Any such extension or waiver
will not affect Placees' commitments as set out in this
Appendix.
If: (i) any of the Conditions are
not fulfilled or (where permitted) waived by the Joint Bookrunners by the relevant time or date
specified (or such later time or date as the Joint Bookrunners may
agree with the Company, being no later than 8.30 a.m. on
18 November 2024); or (ii)
the Placing Agreement is terminated in the circumstances specified
below under "Right to terminate
under the Placing Agreement", the Placing will not proceed
and the Placees' rights and obligations hereunder in relation to
the Placing Shares shall cease and terminate at such time and each
Placee agrees that no claim can be made by it or on its behalf (or
any person on whose behalf the Placee is acting) in respect
thereof.
Neither the Joint Bookrunners nor
the Company, nor any of their respective affiliates, agents,
directors, officers or employees shall have any liability to any
Placee (or to any other person whether acting on behalf of a Placee
or otherwise) in respect of any decision they may make as to
whether or not to waive or to extend the time and/or date for the
satisfaction of any Condition to the Placing, nor for any decision
they may make as to the satisfaction of any Condition or in respect
of the Placing generally, and by participating in the Placing each
Placee agrees that any such decision is within the absolute
discretion of the Joint Bookrunners.
Right to terminate under the
Placing Agreement
The Joint Bookrunners are entitled,
at any time before Admission, to terminate the Placing Agreement in
accordance with its terms in certain circumstances, including
(amongst other things):
1. the
Company shall fail to comply with any of its obligations under the
Placing Agreement in any material respect; or
2. any
of the warranties given by the Company to the Joint Bookrunners under the Placing Agreement is, or if
repeated at any time up to Admission would cause it to be, untrue,
inaccurate or misleading in any material respect; or
3. a
matter having arisen prior to Admission in respect of which a claim
for indemnification under the Placing Agreement may be sought;
or
4. if,
amongst other things, there is a material adverse change in any
national or international political, military, diplomatic,
economic, financial or market conditions which in the Joint
Bookrunner's opinion (acting in good faith and after such
consultation with the Company or the other Joint Bookrunner as
shall be practicable in the circumstances) would have or be likely
to have a material and adverse effect on the Placing; or
5. if
it comes to the notice of the Joint Bookrunners that any statement
contained in any Placing Document become untrue or inaccurate or
misleading.
Upon termination, the parties to the
Placing Agreement shall be released and discharged (except for any
liability arising before or in relation to such termination) from
their respective obligations under or pursuant to the Placing
Agreement, subject to certain exceptions.
By participating in the Placing,
each Placee agrees that (a) the exercise by the Joint Bookrunners of any right of termination or of any
other discretion under the Placing Agreement shall be within the
absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners and that it need not
make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that it shall
have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with any such
exercise or failure to so exercise and (b) its rights and
obligations terminate only in the circumstances described above
under "Right to terminate under
the Placing Agreement" and "Conditions of the Placing", and its
participation will not be capable of rescission or termination by
it after oral confirmation by the Joint Bookrunners of the
allocation and commitments following the close of the
Bookbuild.
By participating in the Placing,
Placees agree that the exercise by the Joint Bookrunners of any
power to grant consent to the undertaking by the Company of a
transaction which would otherwise be subject to the restrictive
provisions on further issuance under the Placing Agreement shall be
within the absolute discretion of the Joint Bookrunners and that it
need not make any reference to, or consult with, Placees and that
it shall have no liability to Placees whatsoever in connection with
any such exercise of the power to grant consent.
Registration and Settlement
Settlement of transactions in the
Placing Shares (ISIN: CA68234M2058) following Admission will take
place within the system administered by Euroclear ("CREST"), subject to certain exceptions.
The Joint Bookrunners reserve the right to require settlement for,
and delivery of, the Placing Shares (or any part thereof) to
Placees by such other means that it may deem necessary if delivery
or settlement is not possible or practicable within the CREST
system or would not be consistent with the regulatory requirements
in the Placee's jurisdiction.
Following the close of the
Bookbuild, each Placee to be allocated Placing Shares in the
Placing will be sent a trade confirmation stating the number of
Placing Shares allocated to them at the Issue Price, the aggregate
amount owed by such Placee to the Joint
Bookrunners and settlement instructions. Each Placee agrees that it
will do all things necessary to ensure that delivery and payment is
completed in accordance with the standing CREST or certificated
settlement instructions in respect of the Placing Shares that it
has in place with the Joint Bookrunners.
The Company will deliver (or will
procure the delivery of) the Placing Shares to a CREST account
operated by the Joint Bookrunners as agents for the Company and the
Joint Bookrunners will each enter its delivery instruction into the
CREST system. The input to CREST by a Placee of a matching or
acceptance instruction will then allow delivery of the relevant
Placing Shares to that Placee against payment.
It is expected that settlement in
respect of the Placing Shares will take place on
11 November 2024 on a
delivery versus payment basis.
Each Placee is deemed to agree that,
if it does not comply with these obligations, the Joint Bookrunners may sell any or all of the Placing
Shares allocated to that Placee on such Placee's behalf and retain
from the proceeds, for the Joint Bookrunners' account and benefit,
an amount equal to the aggregate amount owed by that Placee plus
any interest due. The relevant Placee will, however, remain liable
for any shortfall below the aggregate amount owed by it and will be
required to bear any stamp duty or SDRT or other taxes or duties
(together with any interest or penalties) imposed in any
jurisdiction which may arise upon the sale of such Placing Shares
on such Placee's behalf.
If Placing Shares are to be
delivered to a custodian or settlement agent, Placees should ensure
that the trade confirmation is copied and delivered immediately to
the relevant person within that organization. Insofar as Placing
Shares are issued in a Placee's name or that of its nominee or in
the name of any person for whom a Placee is contracting as agent or
that of a nominee for such person, such Placing Shares should,
subject as provided below, be so registered free from any liability
to UK stamp duty or SDRT. If there are any circumstances in which
any stamp duty or SDRT or other similar taxes or duties (including
any interest and penalties relating thereto) is payable in respect
of the allocation, allotment, issue, sale, transfer or delivery of
the Placing Shares (or, for the avoidance of doubt, if any stamp
duty or SDRT is payable in connection with any subsequent transfer
of or agreement to transfer Placing Shares), neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor the Company shall be responsible for payment
thereof.
Representations, warranties,
undertakings and acknowledgements
By participating in the Placing each
Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) irrevocably
acknowledges, confirms, undertakes, represents, warrants and agrees
(as the case may be) with the Joint Bookrunners (in its capacity as
bookrunners and placing agents of the Company in respect of the
Placing) and the Company, in each case as a fundamental term of
their application for Placing Shares, the following:
1. it has read and
understood this Announcement in its entirety and its subscription
for Placing Shares is subject to and based upon all the terms,
conditions, representations, warranties, acknowledgements,
agreements and undertakings and other information contained in this
Announcement and it has not relied on, and will not rely on, any
information given or any representations, warranties or statements
made at any time by any person in connection with the Placing, the
Company, the Placing Shares or otherwise other than the information
contained in the Placing Documents and the Publicly Available
Information;
2. the Common
Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, and that the Company is
therefore required to publish certain business and financial
information in accordance with the AIM Rules and the MAR, which
includes a description of the nature of the Company's business and
the Company's most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account
and that it is able to obtain or access such information without
undue difficulty, and is able to obtain access to such information
or comparable information concerning any other publicly traded
company, without undue difficulty;
3. to be bound by the
terms of the Articles of the Company;
4. the person whom it
specifies for registration as holder of the Placing Shares will be
(a) itself or (b) its nominee, as the case may be. Neither the
Joint Bookrunners nor the Company will be
responsible for any liability to stamp duty or SDRT or other
similar taxes or duties imposed in any jurisdiction (including
interest and penalties relating thereto)
("Indemnified
Taxes"). Each Placee and any person acting on behalf of such Placee agrees to indemnify
each Joint Bookrunners and the Company on an after-tax basis in
respect of any Indemnified Taxes;
5. neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor any of its affiliates agents, directors, officers
and employees accepts any responsibility for any acts or omissions
of the Company or any of the directors of the Company or any other
person in connection with the Placing;
6. time is of the
essence as regards its obligations under this Appendix;
7. any document that is
to be sent to it in connection with the Placing will be sent at its
risk and may be sent to it at any address provided by it to the
Joint Bookrunners;
8. it will not
redistribute, forward, transfer, duplicate or otherwise transmit
this Announcement or any part of it, or any other presentational or
other material concerning the Placing (including electronic copies
thereof) to any person and represents that it has not
redistributed, forwarded, transferred, duplicated, or otherwise
transmitted any such documents to any person;
9. it has not received
(and will not receive) a prospectus or other offering document in
connection with the Placing and acknowledges that no prospectus or
other offering document (a) is required under the UK Prospectus
Regulation or other applicable law; and (b) has been or will be
prepared in connection with the Placing;
10. in connection with the
Placing, the Joint Bookrunners and any of
their affiliates acting as an investor for its own account may
subscribe for Placing Shares and in that capacity may retain,
purchase or sell for its own account such Placing Shares and any
securities of the Company or related investments and may offer or
sell such securities or other investments otherwise than in
connection with the Placing. Accordingly, references in this
Announcement to the Placing Shares being issued, offered or placed
should be read as including any issue, offering or placement of
such shares to the Joint Bookrunners or any of their affiliates
acting in such capacity;
11. the Joint Bookrunners and their affiliates may enter into
financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with
which the Joint Bookrunners and any of their affiliates may from
time to time acquire, hold or dispose of such securities of the
Company, including the Placing Shares;
12. the Joint Bookrunners do
not intend to disclose the extent of any investment or transactions
referred to in paragraphs 10 and 11 above otherwise than in
accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do
so;
13. the Joint Bookrunners do
not owe any fiduciary or other duties to any Placee in respect of
any discretions, obligations, representations, warranties,
undertakings or indemnities in the Placing Agreement;
14. its participation in the
Placing is on the basis that it is not and will not be a client of
the Joint Bookrunners in connection with
its participation in the Placing and that the Joint Bookrunners have no duties or responsibilities to
it for providing the protections afforded to its clients or
customers or for providing advice in relation to the Placing nor in
respect of any discretions, obligations, representations,
warranties, undertakings or indemnities contained in the Placing
Agreement nor for the exercise or performance of any of its rights
and obligations thereunder including any rights to waive or vary
any conditions or exercise any termination right;
15. the content of the Placing
Documents and the Publicly Available Information has been prepared
by and is exclusively the responsibility of the Company (and such
other persons specifically identified as accepting responsibility
to certain parts thereto (if any)) and neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor any of their affiliates agents, directors, officers
or employees nor any person acting on behalf of any of them is
responsible for or has or shall have any responsibility or
liability for any information, representation or statement
contained in, or omission from, the Placing Documents, the Publicly
Available Information or otherwise nor will they be liable for any
Placee's decision to participate in the Placing based on any
information, representation, warranty or statement contained in the
Placing Documents, the Publicly Available Information or otherwise,
provided that nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of
any person for fraudulent misrepresentation made by such
person;
16. the only information on
which it is entitled to rely and on which such Placee has relied in
committing itself to subscribe for Placing Shares is contained in
the Placing Documents or any Publicly Available Information (save
that, in the case of Publicly Available Information, a Placee's
right to rely on that information is limited to the right that such
Placee would have as a matter of law in the absence of this
paragraph 16), such information being all that such Placee deems
necessary or appropriate and sufficient to make an investment
decision in respect of the Placing Shares;
17. it has neither received
nor relied on any other information given, or representations,
warranties or statements, express or implied, made, by the Joint
Bookrunners nor the Company nor any of their respective affiliates,
agents, directors, officers or employees acting on behalf of any of
them (including in any management presentation delivered in respect
of the Bookbuild) with respect to the Company, the Placing or the
Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of any
information contained in the Placing Documents, or the Publicly
Available Information or otherwise;
18. neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor the Company nor any of their respective affiliates,
agents, directors, officers or employees or any person acting on
behalf of any of them has provided, nor will provide, it with any
material or information regarding the Placing Shares or the Company
or any other person other than the information in the Placing
Documents or the Publicly Available Information; nor has it
requested any of the Joint Bookrunners or the Company or any of
their respective affiliates or any person acting on behalf of any
of them to provide it with any such material or
information;
19. neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor the Company will be liable for any Placee's
decision to participate in the Placing based on any other
information, representation, warranty or statement, provided that
nothing in this paragraph excludes the liability of any person for
fraudulent misrepresentation made by that person;
20. it may not rely, and has
not relied, on any investigation that the Joint Bookrunners, any of
its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, may have
conducted with respect to the Placing Shares, the terms of the
Placing or the Company, and no such persons has made any
representation, express or implied, with respect to the Company,
the Placing, the Placing Shares or the accuracy, completeness or
adequacy of the information in the Placing Documents, the Publicly
Available Information or any other information;
21. in making any decision to
subscribe for Placing Shares it:
(a)
has such knowledge and experience in financial and
business matters to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks
of subscribing for the Placing Shares;
(b)
will not look to the Joint Bookrunners or the
Company and Group for all or any part of any such loss it may
suffer;
(c)
is experienced in investing in securities of this
nature in this sector and is aware that it may be required to bear,
and is able to bear, the economic risk of an investment in the
Placing Shares;
(d)
is able to sustain a complete loss of an
investment in the Placing Shares;
(e)
has no need for liquidity with respect to its
investment in the Placing Shares;
(f)
has made its own assessment and has satisfied
itself concerning the relevant tax, legal, currency and other
economic considerations relevant to its investment in the Placing
Shares;
(g)
has conducted its own due diligence, examination,
investigation and assessment of the Company and Group, the Placing
Shares and the terms of the Placing and has satisfied itself that
the information resulting from such investigation is still current
and relied on that investigation for the purposes of its decision
to participate in the Placing; and
(h)
has consulted its own legal advisors with respect
to trading in the Placing Shares when issued and with respect to
any restrictions on the ability of the Placee to offer and resell
the Placing Shares imposed by the securities laws of the
jurisdiction in which the Placee resides and other securities laws,
and acknowledges that no representation has been made respecting
the applicable hold periods imposed by Canadian securities laws and
any other securities laws, including laws in the jurisdiction in
which such Placee is resident, or other resale restrictions
applicable to such securities which restrict the ability of the
Placee (or others for whom it is acquiring hereunder) to resell
such securities, the Placee (or others for whom it is acquiring
hereunder) is solely responsible to find out what these
restrictions are and the Placee is aware that it may not be able to
resell such securities except in accordance with limited exemptions
under applicable securities laws;
22. it is subscribing for the
Placing Shares for its own account or for an account with respect
to which it exercises sole investment discretion and has the
authority to make and does make the acknowledgements,
confirmations, undertakings, representations, warranties and
agreements contained in this Appendix;
23. it is acting as principal
only in respect of the Placing or, if it is acting for any other
person, it is:
(a)
duly authorized to do so and has full power to
make the acknowledgments, representations and agreements in this
Announcement on behalf of each such person; and
(b)
will remain liable to the Company and/or the Joint
Bookrunners for the performance of all its obligations as a Placee
in respect of the Placing (regardless of the fact that it is acting
for another person);
24. it and any person acting
on its behalf is entitled to subscribe for the Placing Shares under
the laws and regulations of all relevant jurisdictions that apply
to it and that it has fully observed such laws and regulations, has
capacity and authority and is entitled to enter into and perform
its obligations as a subscriber of Placing Shares and will honour
such obligations, and has obtained all such governmental and other
guarantees, permits, authorizations, approvals and consents which
may be required thereunder and complied with all necessary
formalities to enable it to commit to this participation in the
Placing and to perform its obligations in relation thereto
(including, without limitation, in the case of any person on whose
behalf it is acting, all necessary consents and authorities to
agree to the terms set out or referred to in this Appendix) and
will honour such obligations and that it has not taken any action
or omitted to take any action which will or may result in the Joint
Bookrunners or the Company or any of their respective affiliates
and its and their directors, officers, agents, employees or
advisers acting in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements
of any jurisdiction in connection with the Placing;
25. where it is subscribing
for Placing Shares for one or more managed accounts, it is
authorized in writing by each managed account to subscribe for the
Placing Shares for each managed account;
26. it irrevocably appoints
any duly authorized officer of the Joint Bookrunners as its agents
for the purpose of executing and delivering to the Company and/or
its registrars any documents on its behalf necessary to enable it
to be registered as the holder of any of the Placing Shares for
which it agrees to subscribe for upon the terms of this
Appendix;
27. the Placing Shares have
not been and will not be cleared or registered or otherwise
qualified and that a prospectus will not be cleared in respect of
any of the Placing Shares under the securities laws or legislation
of the Restricted Jurisdictions, or any state, province, territory
or jurisdiction thereof, and, except in transactions exempt from or
not subject to the registration requirements of a Restricted
Jurisdiction, the Placing Shares may not be offered, sold or
delivered directly or indirectly to or into a Restricted
Jurisdiction;
28. the Placing Shares may not
be offered, sold, or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into
the Restricted Jurisdictions or any jurisdiction (subject to
certain exceptions) in which it would be unlawful to do so and no
action has been or will be taken by any of the Company or the Joint
Bookrunners or any person acting on behalf of the Company or the
Joint Bookrunners that would, or is intended to, permit an offer of
the Placing Shares in the Restricted Jurisdictions, Switzerland or
any country or jurisdiction, or any state, province, territory or
jurisdiction thereof, where any such action for that purpose is
required;
29. the Placee has not offered
or sold and a Placee will not offer, sell, resell, pledge, transfer
or deliver, any Placing Shares directly or indirectly into the
Restricted Jurisdictions or any jurisdiction in which it would be
unlawful to do so other than in compliance with any applicable laws
and/or regulations, or to any person in a Restricted Jurisdiction;
30. the Placing Shares are
being issued by the Company in reliance upon an exemption from the
prospectus and registration requirements of applicable Canadian
securities legislation, and the Placing Shares are subject to
statutory hold periods or resale restrictions under applicable
Canadian securities legislation and regulatory policy, and a Placee
may not be able to sell or otherwise dispose of the Placing Shares
to a person resident in Canada except in accordance with limited
exemptions under such securities legislation and regulatory
policy;
31. the Company is not, and is
under no obligation to become, a "reporting issuer" (as such term
is defined in the Securities Act (British Columbia)) in any
jurisdiction, the hold period under applicable Canadian securities
laws for re-sale or distribution in Canada may therefore be
indefinite, and therefore a Placee may be unable to sell or
otherwise dispose of the Placing Shares to a person resident in
Canada for an indeterminate period of time;
32. the Company will refuse to
register the transfer of any of the Placing Shares to a person
resident in Canada not made pursuant to a prospectus filing or
pursuant to an available exemption from the registration
requirements of Canadian securities law, and in each case in
accordance with applicable laws;
33. the Placee is entitled to
participate in the Placing and to acquire the Placing Shares under
the laws of all the relevant jurisdictions which apply to the
Placee and the Placee has fully observed such laws and obtained all
governmental and other consents which may be required thereunder
and complied with all necessary formalities and will pay any issue,
transfer or other taxes due thereunder and the Placee has not taken
any action which will or may result in the Joint Bookrunners or the
Company being in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of
any territory in connection with the Placing or the Placee's
participation in the Placing and acceptance of the Placing
Shares;
34. applicable securities laws
in the jurisdiction in which the Placee is resident do not trigger:
(i) any obligation for the Company or its affiliates to prepare and
file a prospectus or similar document or to register the Placing
Shares; (ii) any obligation for the Company or its affiliates to
file any report or notice with any governmental or regulatory
authority, except for a report of exempt distribution as required
under National Instrument 45- 106 of the Canadian securities laws;
or (iii) any other obligation on the part of the Company or any of
its affiliates;
35. the Placee is resident in the
jurisdiction specified in the bid to the Joint Bookrunners, and
such address was not created and is not used solely for the purpose
of acquiring the Placing Shares and the Placee was solicited to
purchase the Placing Shares only in such jurisdiction;
36. the Placee will be asked
to disclose, and must disclose, certain personal information to the
Joint Bookrunners and the Company for the purposes of completing
the Placing, including but not limited to: (a) Placee name in full;
(b) beneficial owner of the securities, individual or
non-individual (legal name in full), if different from Placee name;
(c) full residential address (or business address in the case of
non-individual) including postal code of the beneficial owner of
the securities; (d) country where the beneficial owner of the
securities resides; (e) domicile and tax residency of beneficial
owner; (f) phone number and email address of beneficial owner of
the securities; and (g) in respect of Placing Shares to be held in
uncertificated form, CREST participant broker, including contact
name and phone number, CREST participant ID and CREST member
account ID, and, which includes determining the Placee's
eligibility to purchase the Placing Shares under applicable
securities laws and completing filings required by any stock
exchange or securities regulatory authority. If the Placee has not
provided the name of someone other than the Placee who is the
beneficial owner of the securities, the Placee will be deemed to be
the beneficial purchaser or a registered trust company or
investment advisor of a fully managed account. Each Placee
acknowledges that its personal information as specified in this
paragraph 36 (or any other personal information requested) will be
disclosed by the Company to the applicable securities regulatory
authority (or authorities) or regulator in Canada. Each Placee
authorizes the indirect collection of the personal information by
the applicable securities regulatory authority (or authorities) or
regulator; and the Placee acknowledges that it may contact the
official at the applicable authority or regulator as set out in
Appendix III who can answer questions about the indirect collection
of personal information by such authority or regulator;
37. no action has been or will
be taken by any of the Company or the Joint Bookrunners or any
person acting on behalf of the Company or the Joint Bookrunners
that would, or is intended to, permit an offer of the Placing
Shares in the United States or in any country or jurisdiction where
any such action for that purpose is required;
38. unless otherwise
specifically agreed with the Joint Bookrunners, it is not and at
the time the Placing Shares are subscribed for, neither it nor the
beneficial owner of the Placing Shares will be, a resident of, nor
have an address in, a Restricted Jurisdiction;
39. it may be asked to
disclose in writing or orally to the Joint
Bookrunners:
(a)
if he or she is an individual, his or her
nationality; or
(b)
if he or she is a discretionary fund manager, the
jurisdiction in which the funds are managed or owned;
40. it is, and the prospective
beneficial owner of the Placing Shares is, and at the time the
Placing Shares are subscribed for will be outside the United States
and is acquiring the Placing Shares in an "offshore transaction" as
defined in, and in accordance with, Regulation S under the US
Securities Act;
41. it has not been offered to
purchase or subscribe for Placing Shares by means of any "directed
selling efforts" as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities
Act;
42. it understands that the
Placing Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the
US Securities Act and may not be offered, sold or resold, pledged
or delivered in the United States except pursuant to an exemption
from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and in
accordance with applicable United States state securities laws and
regulations;
43. it (and any account for
which it is purchasing) is not acquiring the Placing Shares with a
view to any offer, sale or distribution thereof within the meaning
of the US Securities Act;
44. it will not distribute,
forward, transfer or otherwise transmit this Announcement or any
part of it, or any other presentational or other materials
concerning the Placing in or into or from the Restricted
Jurisdictions (including electronic copies thereof) to any person,
and it has not distributed, forwarded, transferred or otherwise
transmitted any such materials to any person;
45. it has made such
investigation and has consulted its own independent advisers or
otherwise has satisfied itself concerning the effects of applicable
income tax laws and foreign tax laws generally;
46. if it is within the United
Kingdom, it is a Qualified Investor as defined in Article 2(e) of
the UK Prospectus Regulation and if it is within a Relevant State,
it is a Qualified Investor as defined in Article 2(e) of the EU
Prospectus Regulation and if it is within Switzerland, it is a
Professional Client or, if it is not such
Professional Client, it has been explicitly and directly invited by
the Company or the Joint Bookrunners and not through a
public offer, as such term is defined in
Article 3(h) of the Swiss Financial Services
Act;
47. it has not offered or sold
and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in
Switzerland except to Professional Clients or otherwise in
circumstances which have not resulted in and which will not result
in an offer to the public in Switzerland within the meaning of
Article 3(h) of the Swiss Financial Services Act;
48. if it is a financial
intermediary, as that term is used in Article 5(1) of the UK
Prospectus Regulation, the Placing Shares acquired by it in the
Placing will not be acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf
of, nor will they be acquired with a view to their offer or resale
to, persons in the United Kingdom other than Qualified Investors,
or in circumstances in which the express prior written consent of
the Joint Bookrunners has been given to each proposed offer or
resale;
49. if in the United Kingdom,
that it is a person (a) having professional experience in matters
relating to investments who falls within the definition of
"investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Order or (b) who
falls within Article 49(2) (a) to (d) ("High Net Worth Companies, Unincorporated
Associations, etc") of the Order, or (c) to whom it may
otherwise lawfully be communicated;
50. if in the United Kingdom,
unless otherwise agreed by the Joint Bookrunners, it is a
"professional client" or an "eligible counterparty" within the
meaning of Chapter 3 of the FCA Handbook Conduct of Business
Sourcebook ("COBS") and it
is purchasing Placing Shares for investment only and not with a
view to resale or distribution;
51. it has not offered or sold
and will not offer or sell any Placing Shares to persons in the
United Kingdom, except to persons whose ordinary activities involve
them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments
(as principal or agent) for the purposes of their business or
otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and which will
not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within
the meaning of section 85(1) of FSMA;
52. it has only communicated
or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to
be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in
investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA)
relating to the Placing Shares in circumstances in which section
21(1) of FSMA does not require approval of the communication by an
authorized person and it acknowledges and agrees that the Placing
Documents have not and will not have been approved by the Joint
Bookrunners in their capacity as an authorized person under section
21 of the FSMA and it may not therefore be subject to the controls
which would apply if it was made or approved as a financial
promotion by an authorized person;
53. it has complied and will
comply with all applicable laws with respect to anything done by it
or on its behalf in relation to the Placing Shares (including all
applicable provisions in FSMA and MAR) in respect of anything done
in, from or otherwise involving, the United Kingdom);
54. if it is a pension fund or
investment company, its subscription for/purchase of Placing Shares
is in full compliance with applicable laws and
regulations;
55. (i) it has complied with
and will continue to comply with its obligations under the Market
Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (or the Market Abuse Regulation
(EU) No. 596/2014 as retained in UK law), Criminal Justice Act 1993
and Part VIII of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as
amended ("FSMA") and other
applicable law; (ii) in connection with money laundering and
terrorist financing, it has complied with its obligations under the
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended), the Terrorism Act 2000 (as
amended), the Terrorism Act 2006, the Money Laundering, Terrorist
Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) 2017
Regulations, and any other applicable law (where all such
legislation listed under this (ii) shall together be referred to as
the "AML Legislation"); and
(iii) it is not a person: (1) with whom transactions are prohibited
under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any economic
sanction programmes administered by, or regulations promulgated by,
the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the
Treasury; (2) named on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions
Targets maintained by HM Treasury of the United Kingdom; or (3)
subject to financial sanctions imposed pursuant to a regulation of
the EU or a regulation adopted by the United Nations (together, the
"Regulations"); and, if
making payment on behalf of a third party, that satisfactory
evidence has been obtained and recorded by it to verify the
identity of the third party as required by the Regulations and
pursuant to AML Legislation and has obtained all governmental and
other consents (if any) which may be required for the purpose of,
or as a consequence of, such purchase, and it will provide promptly
to the Joint Bookrunners or the Company such evidence, if any, as
to the identity or location or legal status of any person
(including in relation to the beneficial ownership of any
underlying investor) which the Joint Bookrunners or the Company may
request from it in connection with the Placing (for the purpose of
complying with such Regulations or ascertaining the nationality of
any person or the jurisdiction(s) to which any person is subject or
otherwise or any other information as may be required to comply
with legal or regulatory requirements (including in particular
under the AML Legislation)) in the form and manner requested by the
Joint Bookrunners or the Company on the basis that any failure by
it to do so may result in the number of Placing Shares that are to
be purchased by it or at its direction pursuant to the Placing
being reduced to such number, or to nil, as the Joint Bookrunners
and the Company may decide at their sole discretion;
56. in order to ensure
compliance with the AML Legislation, each Joint Bookrunner (for
itself and as an agent on behalf of the Company) or the Company's
registrars may, in their absolute discretion, require verification
of its identity. Pending the provision to the Joint Bookrunners or
the Company's registrars, as applicable, of evidence of identity,
definitive certificates in respect of the Placing Shares may be
retained at the Joint Bookrunners' absolute discretion or, where
appropriate, delivery of the Placing Shares to it in uncertificated
form may be delayed at the Joint Bookrunners' or the Company's
registrars', as the case may be, absolute discretion. If within a
reasonable time after a request for verification of identity, each
Joint Bookrunner (for itself and as an agent on behalf of the
Company) or the Company's registrars have not received evidence
satisfactory to them, either the Joint Bookrunners and/or the
Company may, at its absolute discretion, terminate its commitment
in respect of the Placing, in which event the monies payable on
acceptance of allotment will, if already paid, be returned without
interest to the account of the drawee's bank from which they were
originally debited;
57. the allocation, allotment,
issue and delivery to it, or the person specified by it for
registration as holder, of Placing Shares will not give rise to a
stamp duty or SDRT liability under (or at a rate determined under)
any of sections 67, 70, 93 or 96 of the Finance Act 1986
(depositary receipts and clearance services) and that the Placing
Shares are not being acquired in connection with arrangements to
issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer Placing Shares
into a clearance service;
58. it (and any person acting
on its behalf) has the funds available to pay for the Placing
Shares for which it has agreed to subscribe and acknowledges and
agrees that it will make payment in respect of the Placing Shares
allocated to it in accordance with this Appendix on the due time
and date set out in this Announcement, failing which the relevant
Placing Shares may be placed with other subscribers or sold as the
Joint Bookrunners may in their sole discretion determine and
without liability to such Placee, who will remain liable for any
amount by which the net proceeds of such sale falls short of the
product of the relevant Issue Price and the number of Placing
Shares allocated to it and will be required to bear any stamp duty,
SDRT or other taxes or duties (together with any interest, fines or
penalties) imposed in any jurisdiction which may arise upon the
sale of such Placee's Placing Shares;
59. any money held in an
account with the Joint Bookrunners on behalf of the Placee and/or
any person acting on behalf of the Placee and/or any person acting
on behalf of the Placee will not be treated as client money within
the meaning of the relevant rules and regulations of the FCA made
under FSMA. Each Placee acknowledges that the money will not be
subject to the protections conferred by the client money rules: as
a consequence this money will not be segregated from the
Joint Bookrunners' money in accordance with
the client money rules and will be held by it under a banking
relationship and not as trustee;
60. its allocation (if any) of
Placing Shares will represent a maximum number of Placing Shares
which it will be entitled, and required, to subscribe for, and that
the Joint Bookrunners or the Company may call upon it to subscribe
for a lower number of Placing Shares (if any), but in no event in
aggregate more than the aforementioned maximum;
61. neither the Joint
Bookrunners nor any of their affiliates, nor any person acting on
behalf of them, is making any recommendations to them, advising
them regarding the suitability of any transactions they may enter
into in connection with the Placing and the Joint Bookrunners are
not acting for their clients, and that the Joint Bookrunners will
not be responsible for providing the protections afforded to
clients or customers of the Joint Bookrunners or for providing
advice in respect of the transactions described in this
Announcement;
62. it acknowledges that its
commitment to acquire Placing Shares on the terms set out in this
Announcement and in the trade confirmation, contract note or other
(oral or written) confirmation will continue notwithstanding any
amendment that may in future be made to the terms and conditions of
the Placing and that Placees will have no right to be consulted or
require that their consent be obtained with respect to the
Company's or the Joint Bookrunners' conduct of the
Placing;
63. if it has received any
'inside information' (for the purposes of MAR and section 56 of the
Criminal Justice Act 1993) in relation to the Company and its
securities in advance of the Placing, it confirms that it has
received such information within the market soundings regime
provided for in article 11 of MAR and associated delegated
regulations and it has not:
(a)
used that inside information to acquire or dispose
of securities of the Company or financial instruments related
thereto or cancel or amend an order concerning the Company's
securities or any such financial instruments;
(b)
used that inside information to encourage,
require, recommend or induce another person to deal in the
securities of the Company or financial instruments related thereto
or to cancel or amend an order concerning the Company's securities
or such financial instruments; or
64. disclosed such information
to any person, prior to the information being made publicly
available;
65. the rights and remedies of
the Company and the Joint Bookrunners under the terms and
conditions in this Appendix are in addition to any rights and
remedies which would otherwise be available to each of them and the
exercise or partial exercise of one will not prevent the exercise
of others; and
66. these terms and conditions
of the Placing and any agreements entered into by it pursuant to
the terms and conditions of the Placing, and all non-contractual or
other obligations arising out of or in connection with them, shall
be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England
and it submits (on behalf of itself and on behalf of any person on
whose behalf it is acting) to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
English courts as regards any claim, dispute or matter arising out
of any such contract (including any dispute regarding the
existence, validity or termination of such contract or relating to
any non- contractual or other obligation arising out of or in
connection with such contract), except that enforcement proceedings
in respect of the obligation to make payment for the Placing Shares
(together with any interest chargeable thereon) may be taken by
either the Company or the Joint Bookrunners in any jurisdiction in
which the relevant Placee is incorporated or in which any of its
securities have a quotation on a recognized stock
exchange.
The foregoing representations,
warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings are given for the benefit of the Company as well as
the Joint Bookrunners and are irrevocable. The Joint Bookrunners
and the Company and their respective affiliates and others will
rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations,
warranties, confirmations, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings.
Each prospective Placee, and any
person acting on behalf of such Placee, irrevocably authorizes the
Company and the Joint Bookrunners to produce this Announcement,
pursuant to, in connection with, or as may be required by any
applicable law or regulation, administrative or legal proceeding or
official inquiry with respect to the matters set forth in this
Announcement.
By participating in the Placing,
each Placee (and any person acting on such Placee's behalf) agrees
to indemnify on an after tax basis and hold the Company, the Joint
Bookrunners and their respective affiliates, agents, directors,
officers and employees harmless from any and all costs, claims,
liabilities and expenses (including legal fees and expenses)
arising out of or in connection with any breach of the
representations, warranties, acknowledgements, agreements and
undertakings given by the Placee (and any person acting on such
Placee's behalf) in this Appendix or incurred by the Joint
Bookrunners, the Company or any of their respective affiliates,
agents, directors, officers or employees arising from the
performance of that Placees' obligations as set out in this
Announcement, and further agrees that the provisions of this
Appendix shall survive after completion of the Placing.
No statement in the Placing
Documents is intended to be a profit forecast or estimate, and no
statement in the Placing Documents should be interpreted to mean
that earnings per share of the Company for the current or future
financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical
published earnings per share of the Company. Past performance is no
guide to future performance and persons needing advice should
consult an independent financial adviser.
The Placing Shares will not be
admitted to trading on any stock exchange other than AIM.
The Joint Bookrunners are authorized
and regulated by the FCA in the United Kingdom and are acting as
joint bookrunners exclusively for the Company and no one else in
connection with the Placing and will not be responsible to anyone
(including any Placees) other than the Company for providing the
protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in
relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to in this
Announcement.
Taxation
The agreement to allot and issue
certain of the Placing Shares by the Company to Placees (and/or to
persons for whom such Placee is contracting as agent) free of stamp
duty and SDRT relates only to their allotment and issue to Placees,
or such persons as they nominate as their agents, direct from the
Company for the Placing Shares in question.
There should be no liability to
stamp duty or SDRT arising on the allotment of the Placing Shares
by the Company. The registration of and the issue of definitive
share certificates to Placees should not give rise to any liability
to stamp duty or SDRT.
In addition, neither UK stamp duty
nor SDRT should arise on the transfers/sale of Common Shares on AIM
(including instruments transferring shares and agreements to
transfer Common Shares).
Such statements assume that the
Placing Shares are not being acquired in connection with
arrangements to issue depositary receipts or to issue or transfer
the Placing Shares into a clearance service. If there are any such
arrangements, or the settlement relates to any other dealings in
the Placing Shares, stamp duty or SDRT or other similar taxes or
duties may be payable, for which neither the Company nor the Joint
Bookrunners will be responsible and the Placees shall indemnify the
Company and the Joint Bookrunners on an after-tax basis for any
stamp duty or SDRT or other similar taxes or duties (together with
interest, fines and penalties) in any jurisdiction paid by the
Company or the Joint Bookrunners in respect of any such
arrangements or dealings. If this is the case, each Placee should
seek its own advice and notify the Joint Bookrunners accordingly.
Placees are advised to consult with their own advisers regarding
the tax aspects of the subscription for Placing Shares.
The Company and the Joint
Bookrunners are not liable to bear any taxes that arise on a sale
of Placing Shares subsequent to their acquisition by Placees,
including any taxes arising otherwise than under the laws of any
country in the EEA. Each prospective Placee should, therefore, take
its own advice as to whether any such tax liability arises and
notify the Joint Bookrunners and the Company accordingly.
Furthermore, each prospective Placee agrees to indemnify on an
after-tax basis and hold the Joint Bookrunners and/or the Company
and their respective affiliates harmless from any and all interest,
fines or penalties in relation to stamp duty, SDRT and all other
similar duties or taxes in any jurisdiction to the extent that such
interest, fines or penalties arise from the unreasonable default or
delay of that Placee or its agent.
In addition, Placees should note
that they will be liable for any stamp duty and all other stamp,
issue, securities, transfer, registration, documentary or other
duties or taxes (including any interest, fines or penalties
relating thereto) payable, whether inside or outside the UK, by
them or any other person on the subscription, acquisition,transfer
or sale by them of any Placing Shares or the agreement by them to
subscribe for, acquire, transfer or sell any Placing
Shares.
APPENDIX II
The following definitions apply
throughout this Announcement unless the context otherwise
requires
"£", "GBP", "pounds",
"pound sterling" or "sterling", "p", "penny" or "pence"
|
are to the lawful currency of the
UK
|
Admission
|
admission of the Placing Shares to
trading on AIM becoming effective in accordance with the AIM
Rules
|
AIM
|
AIM, a market operated by the London
Stock Exchange
|
AIM
Rules
|
the AIM Rules for Companies
published by the London Stock Exchange
|
Announcement
|
this Announcement, including the
Appendices
|
Appendix
|
an appendix to this Announcement
|
Articles
|
the articles of incorporation of the
Company as at the date of this Announcement
|
Bookbuild
|
the bookbuilding process to be
commenced by the Joint Bookrunners
to use reasonable endeavours to procure placees
for the Placing Shares, as described in this Announcement and
subject to the terms and conditions set out in Appendix I of this
Announcement and the Placing Agreement
|
certificated or in certificated form
|
not in uncertificated form (that is,
not in CREST)
|
Common Shares
|
the common shares in the authorized
structure of the Company provided that all references in this
Announcement to the Common Shares, the Placing Shares, or the
Subscription Shares, as the case may be, shall, as the context so
requires be construed as including the Common Shares, the Placing
Shares, and the Subscription Shares, as the case may be, in the
form of Depositary Interests
|
Company
|
Ondine Biomedical Inc.
|
CREST
|
the computerized settlement system
to facilitate transfer of the title to an interest in securities in
uncertificated form operated by Euroclear
|
Depositary Interests
|
the depositary interests issued by
Computershare Investor Services plc, in respect of the Common
Shares deposited with it as depositary
|
Directors or Board
|
the directors of the Company for the
time being
|
EEA
|
European Economic Area
|
EU
Prospectus Regulation
|
means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as
amended
|
Euroclear
|
Euroclear UK & International
Limited
|
Existing Shareholders
|
holders of Common Shares as at the
date of this Announcement
|
FCA
|
the UK Financial Conduct
Authority
|
FSMA
|
the Financial Services and Markets
Act 2000, as amended
|
Fundraising
|
means, collectively, the Placing and
the Subscription
|
Group
|
the Company and its subsidiaries
(and "Group Company" shall
be construed accordingly)
|
Issue Price
|
8.5 pence per Common Share
|
Joint Bookrunners
|
RBC and Oberon
|
London Stock Exchange
|
London Stock Exchange plc
|
MAR
|
means the EU Market Abuse Regulation
(EU) 596/2014 and all delegated or implementing regulations
relating to that Regulation as amended as it forms part of UK
domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal)
Act
2018, as amended
|
New
Common Shares
|
means the new Common Shares to be
issued pursuant to the Fundraising
|
Oberon
|
Oberon Capital LLP
|
Orana
|
Orana Corporate LLP
|
Participating Directors
|
means the Directors who are
participating in the Subscription
|
Placees
|
persons who agree to subscribe for
Placing Shares at the Issue Price
|
Placing
|
the conditional placing by
the Joint Bookrunners as
agents of the Company of the Placing Shares at the Issue Price, in
accordance with the Placing Agreement
|
Placing Agreement
|
the agreement dated 31 October 2024 between the Company,
the Joint
Bookrunners and SCM Advisory relating to
the Placing
|
Placing Documents
|
this Announcement and the Result of
Placing Announcement
|
Placing Shares
|
the Common Shares expected to be
issued pursuant to the Placing
|
Private Placement
|
the C$5 million equity raise via
private placement which was announced to the market on 24 September
2024
|
Publicly Available Information
|
any information publicly announced
through a regulatory information service by or on behalf of the
Company on or prior to the date of this Announcement
|
Relevant Persons
|
has the meaning given in Appendix 1
of this Announcement
|
RBC
or RBC Capital Markets
|
RBC Europe Limited
|
SCM
Advisory
|
Singer Capital Markets Advisory
LLP
|
SDRT
|
stamp duty reserve tax
|
Subscribers
|
means persons who agree to subscribe
for Subscription Shares at the Issue Price, pursuant to the
Subscription
|
Subscription
|
the subscription by the majority of
the Company's Directors for the Subscription Shares at the Issue
Price
|
Subscription Shares
|
the Common Shares expected to be
issued pursuant to the Subscription
|
subsidiary
|
has the meaning given to such term
in the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), as
amended
|
uncertificated or in uncertificated form
|
in respect of a share or other
security, where that share or other security is recorded on the
relevant register of the share or security concerned as being held
in uncertificated form in CREST and title to which may be
transferred by means of CREST
|
UK or United Kingdom
|
the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland
|
UK
Prospectus Regulation
|
Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it
forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union
(Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended
|
US
Securities Act
|
the US Securities Act of 1933, as
amended
|
APPENDIX III
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR
CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORS
British Columbia Securities
Commission
P.O. Box 10142, Pacific Centre
701 West Georgia Street, Vancouver,
British Columbia V7Y 1L2 Attention: FOI Inquiries
Tel: (604) 899-6854
Toll free in Canada:
1-800-373-6393
Alberta Securities Commission Suite 600, 250 - 5th Street SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Attention: FOIP Coordinator Tel: (403) 297-6454
Toll free in Canada:
1-877-355-0585
Financial and Consumer Affairs
Authority of Saskatchewan
Suite 601 - 1919 Saskatchewan Drive
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4H2 Attention: Director
Tel: (306) 787-5879
The Manitoba Securities
Commission
500 - 400 St. Mary Avenue Winnipeg,
Manitoba R3C 4K5 Attention: Director
Tel: (204) 945-2548
Toll free in Manitoba
1-800-655-5244
Ontario Securities Commission 20 Queen Street West, 22nd Floor Toronto, Ontario M5H 3S8
Attention: Inquiries Officer
Tel: (416) 593- 8314
Toll free in Canada:
1-877-785-1555
Autorité des marchés financiers
800, Square Victoria, 22e étage,
C.P. 246
Tour de la Bourse, Montréal, Québec
H4Z 1G3
Attention: Secrétaire Générale
Tel: (514) 395-0337 or
1-877-525-0337
Financial and Consumer Services
Commission (New Brunswick)
85 Charlotte Street, Suite 300 Saint
John, New Brunswick E2L 2J2 Attention: Privacy Officer
Tel: (506) 658-3060
Toll free in Canada:
1-866-933-2222
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
Suite 400, 5251 Duke Street Duke
Tower, P.O. Box 458 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2P8 Attention:
Executive Director Tel: (902) 424-7768
Prince Edward Island Securities
Office
95 Rochford Street, 4th Floor Shaw
Building
P.O. Box 2000
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
C1A 7N8 Tel: (902) 368-4569
Attention, Superintendent of
Securities
Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador Financial Services Regulation Division
P.O. Box 8700, Confederation
Building, 2nd Floor, West Block Prince Philip Drive, St. John's,
Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 4J6 Attention: Superintendent of
Securities
Tel: (709) 729-4189
Government of Yukon, Department of
Community Services
Law Centre, 3rd Floor, 2130 Second
Avenue Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5H6
Attention: Superintendent of
Securities Tel: (867) 667-5314
Government of the Northwest
Territories, Office of the Superintendent of Securities
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2L9 Attention: Superintendent of Securities Tel: (867)
920-8984
Government of Nunavut, Department of
Justice, Legal Registries Division
P.O. Box 1000
Station 570, 1st Floor, Brown
Building Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0
Attention: Superintendent of
Securities Tel: (867) 975-6590